


Everything is brighter here

by iwaizumemes (skytramp)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - After College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-11-30
Packaged: 2018-05-04 03:16:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5318384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skytramp/pseuds/iwaizumemes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>He is sipping a beer now, and with every drink he grimaces. He doesn’t have to save face here, not in front of all these strangers, but now there isn't only strangers. There are strangers and Ushijima Wakatoshi.</p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	Everything is brighter here

**Author's Note:**

  * For [princessmiakitten](https://archiveofourown.org/users/princessmiakitten/gifts).



> HAPPY (early) BIRTHDAY MIA! I hope you enjoy ur OTP :)

Moniwa doesn’t expect to see Ushijima here of all places. Truthfully he doesn’t expect to see him at all, unless it’s on television for the olympics. He spent the years after high school working diligently for his engineering degree at a smaller university in Miyagi. He still visited his old high school regularly, especially in that first year, as he watched Futakuchi grow as a captain. It’s been long enough that he no longer knows the kid who is captain, long enough that he considers high schoolers to be kids, and now that he’s out of university and settled into a little apartment of his own he’s figuring out that he has no idea what to do with his life.

And here he is, sitting on a barstool in an izakaya in a less than reputable part of Tokyo sometime after 9PM, more than fifty percent drunk and one hundred percent wallowing. He came to the city for a few days in hopes of finding inspiration. He has a good job, a respectable job working for a corporation only a few miles from his parents house and somehow the entire prefecture feels like it is stifling him, like the borders are walls slowly crushing him with monotony.

So he goes to Tokyo, and the lights are bright and the city is bustling and he finds a hotel he can afford and a place that serves drinks that taste a little off, but not too bad to drink, and he starts drinking.

He's never been much of a drinker, he didn’t even drink at all until he was nineteen and someone at a family reunion had offered him a beer. It tasted like something a cat would throw up and he hates how he had to hide his grimace as his father clapped him on the back. It got better, or at least more tolerable, as everyone said that beer would, but it still isn't his favorite. He is sipping a beer now, and with every drink he grimaces. He doesn’t have to save face here, not in front of all these strangers, but now there aren't only strangers. There are strangers and Ushijima Wakatoshi.

He’s still tall, tall and handsome in a way that maybe you don’t notice at first. He was always tall, and the intimidation still rolls off him in waves. He hasn't seen him since high school, of course, when their teams occasionally had training camps together even if they didn't always meet in tournaments, but he isn't likely to forget someone who was known throughout the volleyball community country wide.

He doesn’t expect to be remembered. He’s just a man, wearing his third best business suit, sitting slightly off kilter on a dirty barstool. But when Ushijima approaches the bar and gives him a second look after his initial glance, Moniwa's own eyes widen in return.

"Ushijima-san?" He asks, though it isn't really a question.

"Moniwa-san." Ushijima's voice is deep, threatening and maybe alluring in a way that makes Moniwa's fingers shake.

"What brings you to Tokyo?" he asks and suddenly feels stupid. Maybe Ushijima lives here, maybe he's been in this neighborhood for five years, he has have no way of knowing.

"Recruitment." Ushijima replies and signals the bartender to order his drink.

Moniwa wants to ask recruitement for what, it’s such a stoic answer, but he’s more than a little afraid his words will come out as mush, or worse. He nods instead, as if he understands perfectly.

"For volleyball." Ushijima explains, though Moniwa hasn't asked.

"You coach?" A reasonable assumption, though he’s a little surprised Ushijima isn't on the national team instead.

"Assistant. My university offered me the position after graduation."

That is more words that Moniwa has heard Ushijima say in three years of training camps and tournaments combined. He'd never been talkative but for some reason he’s telling what amounts to his life story to Moniwa in a weird bar that presumably neither of them has been to before.

"Did you get them? The recruits?" It seems like a polite question, and if his voice is a little slurred maybe Ushijima can’t tell over the chatter of other conversations.

"I am unsure. He seemed scared."

Moniwa laughs, he can’t stop it from bubbling up from his chest and he almost snorts into his pint glass. When he stops he looks up and Ushijima is looking over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you surprised he was scared of you?" He asks, more than a little incredulous. Ushijima had been intimidating at 15 and he's only grown, not just in height and weight but in presence.

"The university I represent is very prestigious, but he should not be scared."

"It's not the university, it's you." Moniwa says, as if it should be obvious. "Have you seen you?"

"Seen myself? You mean in a mirror?"

"It was a rhetorical question.” Moniwa says, waving his hand in a dismissive way, “You're an intimidating person, Ushijima-san, surely you know this. I don't think there's a high school student in japan who wouldn't be at least a little afraid of you."

"Oh." He sounds disappointed and Moniwa feels a little bad for his bluntness. He wonders how the man has made it to 23 years old without knowing how he affects people.

Moniwa finishes his drink and orders another. He doesn’t really need it, he didn’t need the last one either, but it seems like the thing to do and it fills the silence nicely.

"How would I be less intimidating?" Ushijima asks suddenly and Moniwa just looks at him. It takes a few seconds for his eyes to focus and when he looks, really looks, he sees Ushijima's shoulders are a little hunched and he is looking down at his hands where they hold his cup. It’s almost disconcerting, this weird level of vulnerability that can only be shared with near strangers.

"I'm not sure it's possible." It’s the first thing that comes to mind. No matter how demure Ushijima tries to act, he's still tall, with broad strong shoulders, and his face will still look stern, even with a smile.

"I..." He pauses and Moniwa turns to face him fully, resting his elbow on the bar beside him. He tries his best not to stare dreamily as Ushijima speaks. "I want to do my job well, and I cannot be successful if the students are frightened. Can you teach me, Moniwa-san?"

Moniwa laughs again and he knows it sounds rude, incredulous even. Moniwa has spent most of his life trying to be more intimidating, trying to cultivate a presence of leadership that never even has stood up to what Ushijima can do in his sleep. It’s almost an insult, that Ushijima thinks he is the go-to for how to not scare people.

"Moniwa-san?" Ushijima asks when Moniwa doesn’t seem likely to stop laughing any time soon.

Moniwa holds up his hand in an attempt to say he’s fine but the laughter is still there, and even when he covers his mouth with his other hand he can’t stop. Maybe he’s more drunk than he thought, or maybe Ushijima is just a really funny and handsome near stranger. Did he just think he was handsome? No, just funny. A funny stranger with nice hands.

"Moniwa-san?" Ushijima says again and puts one of those nice hands on his shoulder in concern. "Are you staying nearby?"

Moniwa nods, his laughter dies down to a series of giggles. He still can’t form sentences, but at least his cheeks hurt less. Ushijima's hand moves from his shoulder across the top of his back and he puts a too-large bill on the counter to pay for his drink. It takes Moniwa more than a few seconds to realize his drink has been paid for as well, and that Ushijima is leading him by the shoulders out of the bar.

"I believe it is bedtime." Ushijima says once they’re outside. It’s quieter, Moniwa hadn’t noticed how loud the chatter of the other patrons was until it’s gone and his ears are ringing. "Where are you staying?"

 

 

Moniwa straightens up and takes a deep breath. The cool air is enough for him to get his composure, and he reluctantly steps out from under Ushijima's hand and arm.

"I can make it myself, Ushijima-san. Thank you for your concern, I did drink too much, this is not normally how I act around strangers." It’s still a little slurred, and he’s still more than a little drunk, but now his shame and something else is making the idea of Ushijima walking him home like a teenage girl a little unnerving.

"Are you..." His voice trails off as Moniwa bows slightly and turns in the direction of his hotel. "Are we strangers?" He asks, a little louder as the distance between them widens.

Moniwa stops and looks back. "I suppose we probably aren't. Goodnight Ushijima-san. Good luck with your recruits."

Ushijima nods and Moniwa continues walking away.

Moniwa hears the footsteps behind him before he sees anything. After the initial spike of fear he turns back to see Ushijima walking the same direction. Moniwa stops walking and waits for Ushijima to catch up.

"Are you following me?" He asks, more than a little joking but he knows he sounds irritated.

"I am not. My hotel is also this direction." It sounds honest, though everything Ushijima says sounds honest. He probably is honest, for some reason Moniwa can’t imagine him lying.

Moniwa just nods and this time when he starts walking, they walk together. Ushijima is little more than a breathing shadow beside him, a tall and broad shadow, obscuring the streetlights and giving off an incongruous amount of heat.

When they reach Moniwa's hotel Ushijima turns with him, heading for the door, and with his slightly longer stride he reaches it first and holds it open. Moniwa bows his head a little, slow enough that he doesn’t lose his balance, and goes inside.

"Well, goodnight, Ushijima-san." Moniwa says, once the door has shut behind Ushijima. He fishes his room keycard from his pocket and heads for the elevator. Ushijima follows. How many more times were they going to say goodnight before they actually parted? Though Moniwa should have counted on it, the first floor doesn’t seem to actually have any guest rooms so it’s inevitable they would share an elevator.

Ushijima hasn't replied to his earlier statement and when the elevator door closes Moniwa avoids his reflected eyes in the shiny door in front of them. He really shouldn't feel this weird, they are just two strangers in an elevator, but the way Ushijima had asked if they were strangers, like he was willing it to not be true, puts a strange knot behind Moniwa's ribs that makes it hard to breathe.

They are going to different floors, judging by the lit numbers on the panel, and when the elevator stops for Moniwa's floor he hesitates.

"Um, goodnight... Ushijima-san." It sounds ridiculous by this point, saying goodnight a third time.

Moniwa wavers slightly, foot catching on the edge of the elevator where it meets the hallway floor and Ushijima's hand catches his shoulder.

"Goodnight." He says, and Moniwa realizes it’s the first time he's actually said it back. His hand stays on Moniwa's shoulder, though, and even when he rights himself and tries to take a step Ushijima steps with him, halting the elevator's attempts to close the door.

He isn't sure what Ushijima is doing until he leans down and presses his lips to Moniwa's temple. It’s very soft, hardly noticeable at all but it sends a shiver down his spine. When Ushijima lets go and takes a step back, Moniwa doesn’t move until the elevator door closes completely behind him.

He makes it back to his room, eventually, and falls asleep remembering that strange waver in Ushijima's voice and what little he could recall of the texture of his lips.

 

Mid-morning sun shines through the sheer curtains of Moniwa's hotel room and he wakes with a comfortable grogginess. There's a slight pressure behind his eyes that speaks of a headache just on the edge of breaking and his mouth is ruthlessly dry so he sits up and heads for the bathroom.

He looks like a mess, his already unruly hair is sticking up in all directions and the bags under his eyes speak of a much rowdier night than he had actually experienced. He jumps in the shower and uses the spray to wash his mouth out. It's the last day of his vacation, and his return to work and Miyagi looms over him like a dark cloud. He's got a good hour until he has to check out of his hotel, and he spends a few extra minutes in the shower, willing himself to look more awake.

He packs his things, dresses in what he guesses is his third best suit, and heads down to the lobby. The sun is even brighter here, shining in through the large windows and reflecting off the floors until it looks as if the whole lobby is glowing. He checks out with the front desk and he doesn't notice Ushijima waiting for him until he's almost on top of him.

Ushijima stands with his arms crossed just near the front doors, no sign of any luggage to match the bag Moniwa rolls behind him. He's blocking some of the sun, casting a long shadow and Moniwa uses him as shade when he stops to greet him.

"Hello, Moniwa-san." Ushijima says first, bowing his head a little too deep. He doesn't really look any different in the daylight, but somehow Moniwa feels a little more comfortable, as if they were old friends rather than old acquaintances barely reunited.

"Hello. I'm sorry, I don't really have time to talk." It's not a lie, it's his final day of vacation, but he has to make it to the train station early enough to rent a locker to store his bags while he wanders the city aimlessly for the next ten hours. It's not much of a plan, but it's something.

"It is alright." Ushijima says, and when Moniwa steps past him outside the door Ushijima follows.

They walk for a few seconds in the direction of the train station before Ushijima speaks again.

"I asked you..." He pauses, and while Moniwa doesn't stop walking he cocks his head slightly to show that he's listening. "I asked you last night if you would teach me to be less intimidating."

Moniwa nods because he does remember that particular conversation. It was strange at the time and it's even stranger now and he's not sure where Ushijima is going with it.

"I would like to ask again."

Moniwa stops walking and turns to face Ushijima, holding his bag close to his side. "You want me to teach you to be less intimidating?" He repeats, just a little too sarcastically. "Do you think I'm particularly benign?"

Ushijima raises his eyebrows like it wasn't something he'd even considered and Moniwa wants to give him the benefit of the doubt. Clearly he isn't the best at understanding people, though he's always done well enough for himself when it comes to volleyball.

"I'm sorry if I offended you, I am just..." Ushijima looks slightly worried, and he runs his hand through his hair on one side. "I do not think I am doing well at my job. You were always..."

Moniwa tilts his head, waiting for Ushijima to continue, and then steps sideways, closer to the building they were passing, to avoid a group of pedestrians.

"Your team was different from mine, they were very..." Moniwa is sure he's searching for a polite way to say his team was full of assholes, "spirited. You didn't control them, but they respected you, and they listened to you. I would like to know if you have any advice."

Ushijima seems genuinely concerned and, even if the method is strange, he supposes he can offer what little he may see.

"My team was a bunch of assholes." He begins, and Ushijima looks slightly uncomfortable. They're huddled close to the building now, nondescript except for its large windows that are similar to those of the hotel they just left. "They were loud and half of them were stupid but it didn't really matter."

Ushijima raises an eyebrow again, looking confused and possibly scandalized. Moniwa continues.

"Our teams were very different. Your team was always strong, you valued strength, and your team listened to you because you were the strongest. I'm guessing it's always been that way for you." He pauses, but Ushijima makes no move to disagree. "Just because you're strong doesn't mean you're owed the allegiance of everyone weaker than you."

Ushijima opens his mouth slightly, as if to disagree, but Moniwa quickly continues.

"I'm not saying you're like that consciously. We're basically strangers, remember? I'm just... You should try listening to them."

"Listening?"

Moniwa nods. "My team worked well together because no matter how loud they were everyone was also listening. They listened to me and I listened back. I learned what they needed from me, as a setter and a captain, by listening, not bending them to my will."

"I did not--"

"You didn't bend them to your will, Ushijima-san, but that doesn't mean they didn't bend themselves to match you."

Ushijima waits for a second and then nods as if he understands. Moniwa feels a little weird, making all these extrapolations about someone who he knew more by reputation than actual experience but Ushijima seems to be listening, even if he doesn't fully accept it.

"I think you are correct, Moniwa-san."

The sidewalk is clear again, and Moniwa takes the pause in conversation to continue walking. Ushijima is beside him and Moniwa's bag rolls between them. He's not really sure what else there is to say, though Ushijima is still walking with him and he wonders if he's going to take him all the way to the station or if he wants him to.

"Do you have recruits to see today?" Moniwa asks in an attempt of breaking the silence.

Ushijima nods beside him and he can hardly see it. "I do, I have to meet him soon, his team has a practice match this afternoon. You are... going back home?"

"I planned on taking the last train. I just need to store my bag." He gestures to his bag, still rolling beside him.

"Alright, may I go with you?"

"You won't be late?" He asks. Moniwa isn't sure why Ushijima is even still with him at this point but there's no reason to say no. Part of him is still thinking about the strange fact that Ushijima probably kissed him the night before, maybe he can get an explanation. He shrugs, hoping that it's a positive enough gesture.

They make it to the train station, and, while it is mid-morning still, the initial commuter rush has slowed down and Moniwa is able to rent a locker for the rest of the day large enough to store his bag. Moniwa turns to face Ushijima and claps his hands together as if he's knocking dust from his palms.

He raises his eyebrows but doesn't voice the suggestive "So" that's lingering in the back of his throat. Ushijima isn't looking at him, his eyes are scanning the smaller crowds around the station. Moniwa clears his throat.

"Will you go with me?" Ushijima asks, making eye contact at last.

"Go with you where?" He tries not to sound wary. He feels like he shouldn't have been surprised by the question, judging by the lingering way Ushijima had been watching him.

"To meet my recruit." Ushijima clarifies. "I would like it if you could see my work."

"O-oh." Moniwa stutters, "Yes, that sounds interesting." He tries to sound neutral but he's more than a little interested in seeing Ushijima's work first hand. He wonders if he'll ask for advice again, or if he'll follow the advice he already gave him.

 

They take a taxi to the school where Ushijima's recruit attends. It's large, bigger than Datekou was and from what little he remembers of Shiratorizawa's expansive campus this is even larger. Ushijima leads him effortlessly to a complex of gymnasiums until they reach one where two volleyball teams are warming up for a practice match.

It's been a long time since Moniwa has been in a gym, even longer since he's been there with the sound of bouncing volleyballs and the squeaks of shoes on the wooden floors. He doesn't recognize either of the teams, though they're in practice uniforms so the prospect was unlikely to begin with. A coach waves at Ushijima and gestures him over, Moniwa follows.

"Ushijima-san, it is good to see you again!" The man who greets him is loud. He's tall and powerfully built like he must have played volleyball himself when he was younger, and he pats Ushijima on the back so hard Moniwa thinks he can see him wince.

"Oshigi-san. It is nice to see you again." The man slaps his shoulder again and Ushijima turns to Moniwa. "This is my friend Moniwa-san, he's here to assist in my interview with Namakawa-kun."

 _His friend?_ Moniwa wonders, but offers a bow to Oshigi who steps forward to clap Moniwa on his shoulder as well. It feels just as hard as it had looked on Ushijima and reminds Moniwa a little bit of his father. He’s sure his wince is visible. "Hello, Oshigi-san."

The conversation stalls slightly before a wayward volleyball comes their direction and Ushijima deflects it with the side of his hand. His reflexes seem just as fast as they were in high school. Moniwa isn't sure that he could have deflected that himself, were he in the position. He's not as quick as he used to be, not as in shape.

Oshigi laughs at the commotion and then calls over his player, Namakawa. The student is tall, close to Ushijima's height, but thin and wiry. Moniwa wonders if he's got the power to spike through blockers, or if there's something else hidden up his sleeve.

"Ushijima-san, it's nice to see you again." Namakawa greets, and his voice is just barely louder than the sounds of balls bouncing against the floor.

Ushijima greets him back, and gestures for Namakawa to follow him outside the gym. There's a covered walkway that seems to lead further onto campus, and to other gymnasiums and Moniwa follows the pair at a safe distance. He hasn't been introduced again, but Ushijima had said he wanted his help with the interview, so surely following was the right course of action. He feels strange, trailing along behind them like a third wheel, and Namakawa seems to be glancing back every few steps as if wondering who he is or why he's following them.

They stop at an intersection between pathways that has two benches across from each other. Ushijima half-points to the bench, and Namakawa sits with his hands between his knees. The morning is still chilly, but the gesture reads as more defensive than guarding against cold.

Ushijima takes the opposite bench and Moniwa is left standing between them. He feels weird standing up while they're both seated, but Ushijima has settles in the middle of the bench, probably indicating he doesn’t plan for Moniwa to sit beside him, or he simply doesn't realize how much space he occupies.

Moniwa sits next to Namakawa. "Hello, Namakawa-kun." He says, his voice a little shaky, with disuse and more than a trace of nerves. "My name is Moniwa Kaname, Ushijima-san brought me here to assist him, though I'm more than likely just here to listen, let me know if you need anything."

It's the most soothing thing he can think of, and judging by Namakawa's body language he needs soothing more than anything. The suspicion in Namakawa's eyes clears slightly and he nods before turning back to Ushijima.

"We would like you to come--" Ushijima stops, and Moniwa can see how he swallows as if reconsidering his words. "Namakawa-kun, what sort of University are you interested in?"

It's a good question, Moniwa thinks, and judging by the way Namakawa's eyes widen, it wasn't something he expected to hear. He thinks about the question for a few seconds, staring at his hands where they are pressed between his knees. He doesn't look up when he answers.

"Small." He says at last, and, though Namakawa probably can't see it, Ushijima nods.

"Tell us more." Moniwa prompts as gently as he can. Ushijima had asked the right question, but it seems as if he is lost when it comes to the follow up, and Namakawa is much to shy to continue speaking without some help.

Namakawa clears his throat. "A good volleyball team...And Japanese Literature." At that he looks up, his eyes apprehensive as they flick between Ushijima and Moniwa.

Moniwa isn't sure of the qualifications of the University so he can't prompt any further, and Ushijima seems to notice the problem after a few seconds of silence. "There is a very good literature department at our school." He says and Namakawa takes a shaky breath he seems to have been holding back.

After the first hurdle of conversation, the rest seems to go fairly smoothly. Ushijima prompts his recruit to ask more questions about the school, Moniwa encourages him to speak his mind, and instead of telling him what he wants, Ushijima seems to be actually listening and only offering suggestions when they are needed. It's a little shocking that he was so committed to accepting Moniwa's advice, though he can't be sure how different this interview is going compared to others in the past. Moniwa finds himself watching the way Ushijima speaks, how he gestures with his hands, how his eyes light up when he speaks of volleyball and the university he is clearly devoted to.

When they leave Namakawa has agreed to visit the university and Oshigi seems baffled by the change in his player's attitude. Moniwa finds himself smiling, first at how happy Ushijima looks, and then at the entire situation. They don't speak as they leave the school campus, and the sun is now high overhead, warming their shoulders.

"Can I take you to lunch?" Ushijima asks. He tries not to think about the dubious wording of the questions, how it could easily be interpreted as a date, but the worrying fact that Ushijima had basically kissed him the night before is still fresh in his head. Maybe it is meant to be a date, maybe it isn't, but he accepts the invitation.

 

They go to a restaurant not far from the campus that's mostly empty and Moniwa picks a table near the window. The sun is still bright, and even though the chilly morning has disappeared, leaving them with a quickly warming afternoon, he still wants to sit in the sun. They don't speak much while they wait their food, and it arrives before they can feel awkward.

Though Moniwa has long grown used to silence, this silence is more comfortable than he expects it to be and they sit in the sun and eat.

As Moniwa is finishing his meal he clears his throat. "Do you think you convinced him?" He asks.

Ushijima looks startled, but quickly recovers. "I think... I may have."

Moniwa smiles but he hides it behind his hand. It's strangely cute how someone like Ushijima could take his advice to heart so quickly, and how pleased he looks at the prospect. The more he thinks about it the more this meal feels like a date. "Was today your final chance to convince him?"

Ushijima shakes his head. "I will be there when he visits the university, but if he hadn't agreed I likely would have been assigned to other prospects."

Moniwa nods. It seems a little harsh, maybe, that he could get so few chances, but perhaps Ushijima was right to be worried, he'd asked a stranger for advice, after all. "I think you convinced him."

"Thank you."

Moniwa sits up straighter and pushes his bowl away from him. "For what?"

"For your help. And... for your advice. I do not think I could have convinced Namakawa-kun without you with me."

It feels a little tight in his chest, and he's not sure if it's just a welling of emotion or something more strange. "You don't need to thank me." He says instead, hoping the tightness will dissipate if Ushijima stops staring at him so intently.

"I do need to thank you." He's still staring, and Moniwa can't seem to look up from the table. They've long finished their meal now, and if the restaurant had been busier they may have been asked to leave.

"You're welcome." He says quietly. It seems fruitless to argue again, to argue that Ushijima had what it took to succeed in him the whole time, that Ushijima, so used to success, _always_ has what it takes to succeed. "I'm glad it worked."

The silence stretches again and Moniwa finds himself watching the window. The sunlight is warm on his skin and he realizes he doesn't have plans for the rest of his day. He's got hours left before the last train, and he's just been following Ushijima, or allowing Ushijima to follow him, all day. Would they stay together? Would Ushijima even be amenable to the idea if he suggested it? It's hard to tell, with him, though certainly part of him enjoys Moniwa's company as more than just career advice.

"When do you leave?" Ushijima asks, and it's the opening Moniwa was looking for.

"Not ‘til this evening. Do you want to spend the day together?" It's a chance, but they're only strangers-not-strangers, they're just people passing through, if he says no it doesn't hurt anything more than Moniwa's famously sturdy humble pride.

"That sounds nice." He says, and he smiles.

It's not the first time Moniwa has seen him smile, not even the first time today, but it feels stronger, or somehow more bright and Moniwa smiles back.

 

Ushijima takes him to another part of the city, it's nicer, more vibrant, and while Moniwa feels more out of place than ever he enjoys how closely they walk together, how their hands brush each other in the back of the taxi, how Ushijima follows him into stores and points out seemingly innocuous things that make him laugh.

The hours between lunch and his impending train departure pass quicker than he would like and more often his mind goes back to Ushijima kissing him the night before.

They take a taxi back to the train station where Moniwa's bag is and they probably sit slightly closer than is necessary. Ushijima follows him into the station and Moniwa retrieves his bag. His train isn't due for twenty minutes, but he figured it was prudent to be early. He didn't want to end up stranded in Tokyo.

"Well, I suppose I'll wait here." Moniwa says, shuffling his feet. He hopes, if he drags this out long enough, Ushijima will say or do something to break this building tension between them.

"Will you stay?"

The statement is bare and Moniwa isn't sure how to react. His eyes widen.

"Stay?”

"I.. would like to spend more time with you. I feel like we are becoming friends."

It's strange how Moniwa's heart jumps and then drops at the thought. They're not strangers anymore, if they even had been, but a good percentage of him had been hoping for more than friends.

"I have work," he protests, and it sounds feeble at best.

Ushijima takes a step forward and puts his hand on the side of Moniwa's arm. He doesn't squeeze, doesn't exert any pressure at all, but his hand it warm through the fabric and it makes him feel more real.

"I would like you to stay."

He's almost childish in his insistence, but Moniwa wants nothing more than to agree, to lean into his hand, to step forward and close the distance between them. "I can't."

Ushijima looks disappointed and Moniwa hates it so much, hates that he caused it, and he unconsciously steps forward to mirror Ushijima's position with his hand on his arm. "I want to," he amends, "but I can't."

When Ushijima kisses him, for real this time, full on the mouth, Moniwa can't even bring himself to feel surprised. He feels it coming, he knows it's been building all day, this tension between them that was always meant to lead to this. It doesn't feel strange, how their lips fit so well together, and it doesn't matter that they're in a public train station, or that Moniwa has a train to catch, when Ushijima took the seat next to him at the bar this was always going to happen. 

He sinks into the kiss, pushing up towards Ushijima's mouth and pulling him closer by the arm. He doesn't resist and they don't break apart until Moniwa realizes he hasn't been breathing and sucks in a desperate breath between their lips.

"I have to go." He says, and Ushijima nods. His nose skims against Moniwa's cheek bone. "Can I get your phone number?"

Whether it's the hesitance in his voice, or the ridiculousness of the conversation Moniwa isn't sure but Ushijima laughs and pulls him into his chest. He feels safe, in a weird way, with his face pressed against the front of Ushijima's shirt, just near his neck. Ushijima lets go after a few seconds and they stumbles apart before he can shove his phone into Moniwa's hands.

Moniwa realizes he's smiling, as he enters in his own number and messages himself so he'll be able to save Ushijima's, but he's not sure that he can stop even if he wanted to. The train schedule shifts on its screen, and Moniwa sees that his train is only minutes away.

"I have to go." He repeats and this time Ushijima nods.

Moniwa takes a few steps back. "I'll call you?" He says, and it sounds like a question though he knows that it isn't. He will call him. Everything is new and unexpected but now that it's happened, that he's felt the potential of what they could be together, it feels like something he wants, like maybe, if he didn't find direction during this vacation, he at least found a clue.

He boards the train, settling his bag between his knees and watches as the city lights speed by. He pulls out his phone and looks at the message he sent himself from Ushijima's phone, just a few random letters from an unknown number and going back to work tomorrow doesn't feel like so much of a waste of time, not if he has someone to call when he gets home.


End file.
